Smart power delivery system and related method

ABSTRACT

According to one disclosed embodiment, a smart power delivery system includes a power conversion unit having a communication module and a power management module that can convert mains power into an optimized voltage and limited current used to power an electronic device. In one embodiment, a power conversion unit can optimize an output voltage by communicating with a connected electronic device and exchanging parameters representing desired characteristics of the output voltage. In one embodiment, an electronic device receives power from a power conversion unit through a wired power conduit. In another embodiment, an electronic device receives power from a power conversion unit through a wireless power conduit. In one embodiment, an optimal voltage is selected after negotiation between multiple electronic devices and a power conversion unit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of and is based upon and claims thebenefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 for U.S. Ser. No. 12/987,802,filed Jan. 10, 2011 and is based on and claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/336,844, filed on Jan. 26,2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally in the field of electronic devicesand systems. More particularly, the present invention is in the field ofdelivery of power to electronic devices and systems.

2. Background Art

The use of electronic devices continues to expand into all aspects ofdaily life, from the ubiquitous cell phone to the sensors thatautomatically dispense soap in public bathrooms. Many such devices arekept in a mode of constant readiness for use, and the cumulative effectof this mode and the ever-increasing number of devices is a heavy burdenon existing energy resources.

Conventional power supplies for electronic devices are typicallyinefficient and unconfigurable, mainly to reduce manufacturing cost, butalso because general safety and liability concerns steer manufacturerstowards designing their power supplies to be physically differentiatedfrom product to product so as to limit the risk of damage due toincompatible voltage and current specifications. Because each powersupply is designed to serve only a very limited market for a limitedamount of time (e.g., the life of a single product), little effort isput into designing high efficiency and accuracy into each iteration ofthe generic power supply. Further, the lack of interchangeabilitytypically leads to consumers having multiple collections of powersupplies at, for example, home and work, and each collection is oftenleft plugged into the mains, which constantly draws power from the grid.

Thus, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in theart by providing a power delivery system that can be readily adapted topower electronic devices efficiently, accurately and safely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a smart power delivery system andrelated method, substantially as shown in and/or described in connectionwith at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in theclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a modular view of a smart power delivery system,according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a modular view of a smart power delivery system,according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a modular view of a smart power delivery system,according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modular view of a smart power delivery system,according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart illustrating steps taken to implement a methodfor delivering power, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a smart power delivery system andrelated method. The following description contains specific informationpertaining to the implementation of the present invention. One skilledin the art will recognize that the present invention may be implementedin a manner different from that specifically discussed in the presentapplication. Moreover, some of the specific details of the invention arenot discussed in order not to obscure the invention.

The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detaileddescription are directed to merely exemplary embodiments of theinvention. To maintain brevity, other embodiments of the presentinvention are not specifically described in the present application andare not specifically illustrated by the present drawings. It should beunderstood that unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elementsamong the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding referencenumerals. Moreover, the drawings and illustrations in the presentapplication are generally not to scale, and are not intended tocorrespond to actual relative dimensions.

Conventional power delivery systems suffer from many inefficiencies tiedto their inability to be used universally. For example, at the end ofthe life of a typical electronic device, its power delivery system isoften simply thrown away because it cannot function with otherelectronic devices. Knowing this, manufactures typically build theirpower delivery systems as cheaply as possible, and instead rely onsecondary voltage regulation schemes built into the electronic devicesthemselves to refine the supplied power. This almost invariably producesundesirable, life-shortening heat or other damaging effects within theelectronic devices, which compounds the overall material waste,especially over multiple product iterations.

With respect to electrical inefficiency, conventional filtered powerdelivery systems trade off electrical efficiency and capacity for thecleanliness of their output power. As is known in the art, always-onnoise filters, line conditioners, high-accuracy regulators and othersafety features decrease overall efficiency by constantly siphoning offa portion of the available power, both while actively powering anelectronic device (e.g., the trade off for benefitting from the feature)and while the electronic device itself is turned off or disconnected(e.g., in the form of a phantom load, as known in the art). Similarly,conventional variable power delivery systems, while able to service alarger number of electronic devices, also operate at a reducedelectrical efficiency because they typically must have enough capacityenabled to power their peak power output, regardless of the actual powerbeing delivered. Doing so means that they often draw more power than aconventional matched power supply would, and if they are left plugged inwhen not powering a device, they generate a substantial phantom load.

FIG. 1 illustrates a modular view of one embodiment of the presentinvention that is capable of overcoming the drawbacks and deficienciesof the conventional art. Smart power delivery system 100, in FIG. 1,includes power conversion unit (PCU) 110, electronic device 120 andwired power conduit 116. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,PCU 110 can be configured to connect to a mains alternating current (AC)power line through a standard wall mounted electrical socket, usingmains adapter 111, and to provide power to electronic device 120 usingwired power conduit 116.

As shown in FIG. 1, wired power conduit 116 can be connected to PCU 110through connector 117, which may be a fixed connection or a detachablemodular connection, such as through a Universal Serial Bus (USB)interface plug-in connector, for example. Wired power conduit 116 canconnect PCU 110 to electronic device 120 through modular connector 118,which may be a mini-USB connector, for example, or any modular connectorsuitable for providing an interface between wired power conduit 116 andan electronic device or system receiving power. Wired power conduit 116can serve as a power transfer connection between PCU 110 and electronicdevice 120 and can be used to transfer power to power control circuitry124 of electronic device 120 to operate electronic device 120 and/orcharge battery 122 of electronic device 120.

It is noted that although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 represents PCU110 in combination with a particular electronic device, e.g., electronicdevice 120, that representation is provided merely as an example. Moregenerally, PCU 110 may be used to provide power to various individualelectronic devices and/or systems, each requiring its own specificvoltage. Alternatively, PCU 110 may be a dedicated device configured toprovide a variable output, such as a variable voltage or current, forexample, to a specific electronic device or system. In anyimplementation, however, PCU 110 is configured to support acommunication channel between itself and the electronic device or systemto which it is connected.

As shown in FIG. 1, according to the embodiment of smart power deliverysystem 100, PCU 110 includes communication module 112 and powermanagement module (PMM) 114. Communication module 112 can be configuredto send and receive state information and/or operating parametersbetween electronic device 120 and PMM 114 over a communication channelestablished between PCU 110 and electronic device 120. In embodimentssuch as that shown in FIG. 1, in which power is transferred from PCU 110to electronic device 120 over a wired connection, e.g., wired powerconduit 116, the wired connection may also provide the communicationchannel for transfer of state information and/or operating parameters.For example, in one embodiment, wired power conduit 116 may comprise amore than one internal wire, one or more of which may be utilized forpower transfer, and one or more of which may be utilized forcommunication. Communication module 112 can also be configured tosupport a separate wireless communication channel to electronic device120, such as through a Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, WiFi, Near FieldCommunication (NFC), or other suitable wireless communication protocol,for example, either in addition or as an alternative to a wiredcommunication channel over wired power conduit 116.

PMM 114 may comprise, for example, a microcontroller having multipledigital and analog input/output ports coupled to communications module112 and to, for example, a programmable variable power supply, as knownin the art, and can be configured to use data received fromcommunication module 112 to dynamically modify many different operatingcharacteristics of the voltage and/or current delivered to electronicdevice 120 by specifying a particular voltage parameter, such as anoutput voltage parameter, for instance. In the process of modifying thevoltage to conform to a particular voltage parameter, PMM 114 may alsooptimize the power delivery with respect to, for example, overallelectrical efficiency.

In one example, the presence of communication module 112 and PMM 114 canbe used to enable PMM 114 to adjust the output voltage level andrequired output voltage accuracy of a voltage delivered to electronicdevice 120 according to information received from the electronic deviceover a communication channel, rather than forcing electronic device 120to use secondary, and therefore inefficient, voltage regulation situatedwithin its own power control circuitry 124. Consequently, embodiments ofthe present invention enable reductions in the heat dissipated throughelectronic device 120 by dynamically adjusting the output voltage levelafter a communication link has been established, for example, which,along with optimizing the recharge of battery 122, may be particularlyuseful for extending the life of fast charging and/or small electronicdevices. Further, embodiments of the present invention can adjust theoutput voltage accuracy, which allows PMM 114 to trade off efficiencyand capacity for accuracy when electronic device 120 so requests, asexplained above. Further still, by providing for the adjustment of theoutput voltage level according to information received from electronicdevice 120, embodiments of the present invention can be used to powermany different electronic devices automatically without requiring aseparate power delivery system for each, which dramatically extends theuseful lifetime of PCU 110.

In another example implementation, PMM 114 can be configured to adjustthe noise properties of the output voltage according to requirementsrequested by electronic device 120. In one embodiment of the presentinventive concepts, PMM 114 can comprise a programmable switchingvoltage regulator that may generate different voltages by, for example,adjusting a pulse width of the switching mechanism, by adjusting afrequency of the switching mechanism, or by adjusting both, as is knownin the art.

If, for example, electronic device 120 communicates that it hasparticularly troublesome output noise sensitivity at 2 MHz (e.g., atypical frequency for efficiently configured switching voltageregulators) while charging battery 122, but not, for example, at 1 MHz,PMM 114 can adjust the switching frequency and pulse width of itsswitching voltage regulator accordingly in order to reduce or eliminatenoise at the offensive frequency while battery 122 is being charged.After electronic device 120 notifies PMM 114 that battery 122 is fullycharged, PMM 114 can, for example, adjust its parameters to a moreefficient mode for the particular voltage requested by electronic device120, even though the mode may include noise propagated at, for example,2 MHz. Additionally, PMM 114 can be configured to switch noise filters,such as, for example, line filters (e.g., filters that remove a mainsfrequency and harmonic ripples in the voltage output), in and out of thepower delivery path depending on the requirements communicated byelectronic device 120. As explained above, an always-connected filterimposes a power loss, so the ability to programmatically disconnect suchfilters when they are not needed increases the general efficiency of PCU110.

In another example, the present inventive concepts allow electronicdevice 120 to negotiate peak current needs with PMM 114 so thatelectronic device 120 will not attempt to draw more current than PCU 110can provide. For example, electronic device 120 may be able to optimizea fast charge current based upon exchanged information about the powerdelivery capability of PCU 110. Additionally, electronic device 120 cancommunicate its safe operating range (e.g., minimum and maximum currentand/or minimum and maximum voltage) to PMM 114. Based on thoseparameters, PMM 114 can monitor the output current and, in the event ofan excursion, either communicate the problem to electronic device 120and re-negotiate, for example, an appropriate voltage setting or,especially if the communication fails or is too slow, enable a safetyfeature of PCU 110, where PCU 110 can either apply a safe mode ordisconnect power to electronic device 120. Such a safe mode cancomprise, for example, a standardized output voltage expected at aninitial power connection (e.g., before any communication takes place),such as a nominal 5 V, coupled with a minimal peak current setting, suchas 5-10 mA or 100-500 mA, for example, depending upon the particularimplementation environment. In any event, the peak current setting issuitably selected so as to be small enough to preclude substantially anyelectrical damage yet be sufficient to power, for example, a connectedelectronic device's standardized communication circuitry. Alternatively,PCU 110 can be configured to disconnect power to electronic device 120for a predetermined period of time, such as several minutes, forexample, or indefinitely, in the event of an excursion or deviation froman identified safe operating range.

In similar fashion, electronic device 120 can also communicate itstolerance for transients in an output voltage, and PMM 114 can theneither disconnect, apply the safe mode, or apply appropriate powerconditioning elements to the output voltage, similar to how PMM 114 canbe configured to switch noise filters in and out of the power deliverypath, as described above.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a smart power delivery system,according to the present inventive principles, which utilizes a wirelessconnection to transfer power to an electronic device. Smart powerdelivery system 200 includes PCU 210, which is configured to draw powerthrough mains adapter 211 and comprises communication module 212 and PMM214. Also shown in FIG. 2 is electronic device 220 having battery 222and power control circuitry 224. PCU 210, communication module 212, PMM214, mains adapter 211, electronic device 220, battery 222, and powercontrol circuitry 224 correspond respectively to PCU 110, communicationmodule 112, PMM 114, mains adapter 111, electronic device 120, battery122, and power control circuitry 124 in FIG. 1. Likewise, each of theadvantageous features enabled by use of communication module 112 and PMM114 of PCU 110, as described above, can also be enabled by use ofcommunication module 212 and PMM 214 of PCU 210.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, power transfer and communicationare implemented wirelessly. Power may be transferred from PCU 210 toelectronic device 220 through wireless power conduit 216 by inductivecoupling, or resonant inductive coupling, for example, as known in theart. In one embodiment, communication module 212 can be configured touse wireless power conduit 216 as a wireless communication channel.Communication module 212 can also be configured to support any suitablewireless communication link independent of the inductive link used forpower transfer, such as a Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, WiFi, or NFC mediatedlink, for example, either in addition to or as an alternative to awireless communication channel established over wireless power conduit216.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further example of a smart power delivery system,according to the present inventive principles, which provides aplurality of power connections to a corresponding plurality ofelectronic devices. Smart power delivery system 300 includes PCU 310,which can comprise communication module 312 and PMM 314, and, as shownin FIG. 3, is configured to draw power through mains adapter 311. Alsoshown in FIG. 3 are electronic devices 320 and 330, having respectivebatteries 322 and 332, and respective power control circuits 324 and334, connected to PCU 310 through respective wired power conduits 316 aand 316 b, each having respective connectors 317 a and 317 b andrespective modular connectors 318 a and 318 b. PCU 310, communicationmodule 312, PMM 314, mains adapter 311, electronic devices 320 and 330,batteries 322 and 332, power control circuits 324 and 334, wired powerconduits 316 a and 316 b, connectors 317 a and 317 b, and modularconnectors 318 a and 318 b correspond respectively to PCU 110,communication module 112, PMM 114, mains adapter 111, electronic device120, battery 122, power control circuitry 124, wired power conduit 116,connector 117, and modular connector 118, in FIG. 1. Likewise, each ofthe advantageous features enabled by use of communication module 112 andPMM 114 of PCU 110, as described above, can also be enabled by use ofcommunication module 312 and PMM 314 of PCU 310, but with respect toeach connected electronic device 320 and 330, as explained more fullybelow.

It is noted that, unlike an electronic device such as a laptop ordesktop computer, the embodiment of smart power delivery system 300including PCU 310 lacks a user interface. It is further noted that,unlike conventional solutions for providing power to more than onepowered device concurrently, such as a USB hub, for example, embodimentsof the present invention may be configured to power multiple diversedevices using correspondingly divers power conduit and connector types.

In embodiments such as that shown in FIG. 3, in which PCU 310 providesmore than one power connection (e.g., wired power conduits 316 a and 316b), optimum settings for the entire smart power delivery system 300 canbe negotiated to best meet each electronic devices needs by, forexample, using a operating mode chosen by PMM 314 according toinformation it receives from, for example, electronic devices 320 and330. For instance, if both electronic devices 320 and 330 cancommunicate to PMM 314 that they are, for example, willing to negotiatelower current needs over a period of time (e.g., for staggered charging,or for extended periods of “sleep mode,” where an electronic deviceenters a low power, inoperative mode until awakened by some externalsignal), PMM 314 can enter a “smart” mode where it can negotiate andapply a partitioning method proffered by electronic devices 320 and 330,for example. Possible partitioning methods include, but are not limitedto: first come, first served; programmed prioritization (e.g., a userselected priority manually stored in each electronic device), quickesttime to charge all devices, time-interval partitioning (e.g., 10 minutesfor first device, then 10 minutes for second device, repeated), or equalcurrent partitioning. To illustrate one possible method, if electronicdevices 320 and 330 both request 500 mA of charging current, but PCU 310only supports 600 mA, an equal current partitioning method may be usedto allocate 300 mA of charging current to each device while both arecharging.

If, instead, only electronic device 320 is willing to negotiate, andelectronic device 330 only offers its typical operating parameters, PMMcan enter a “brute-force” mode where it communicates the problem toelectronic device 320 and can then select a partitioning method based onthe willingness of electronic device 320 to defer or reduce its powerrequirements. Additionally, PMM 314 may switch one device to the safemode described above while using the majority of its capacity to powerthe other device. Notably, the safe mode can also be automaticallyapplied to any device that is connected to PCU 310 but refuses or isunable to communicate with PMM 314. Moreover, in instances in which PCU310 acts to disconnect power from one or both of electronic devices 320and 330, PCU 310 may be configured to forewarn the affected devicesahead of implementing the change, in order to enable their gracefulpowerdown.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a smart power delivery system,according to the present inventive principles, which, like theembodiment depicted in FIG. 3, provides a plurality of power connectionsto a corresponding plurality of electronic devices, but where thedevices have significantly different power needs and use different powerconduits, substantially simultaneously. Smart power delivery system 400includes PCU 410, which is configured to draw power through mainsadapter 411 and comprises communication module 412 and PMM 414. Alsoshown in FIG. 4 are house 402, house mains 404 and typical householdelectronic devices such as printer 420, television 430 and laptop 440connected to PCU 410 through wired power conduits 423 and 433 andwireless power conduit 443, respectively. PCU 410, communication module412, PMM 414 and mains adapter 411 correspond respectively to PCU 310,communication module 312, PMM 314 and mains adapter 311 in FIG. 3.Likewise, each of the advantageous features enabled by use ofcommunication module 312 and PMM 314 of PCU 310, as described above, canalso be enabled by use of communication module 412 and PMM 414 of PCU410.

In embodiments such as that shown in FIG. 4, in which PCU 410 providesconstant power to some electronic devices (e.g., printer 420 andtelevision 430) and intermittent power to other electronic devices(e.g., laptop 440), PCU 410 can be configured to draw enough power fromhouse mains 404 and have enough capacity to power all connectedelectronic devices simultaneously, each at its own specificallyrequested voltage and with its own specifically requested voltageparameters, such as those discussed above. Similar to features describedabove, each connected device can negotiate a varying voltage over aperiod of time in order to optimize its power usage for its ownparticular operating mode. In addition, PMM 414 can switch capacity inand out of the power delivery path in order to increase overall powerefficiency, similar in fashion to switching filters in and out of apower delivery path as described above. Also, as shown in FIG. 4,according to the embodiment depicted as smart power delivery system 400,PCU 410 can be configured to deliver power to electronic devices throughwired and wireless power conduits (e.g., wired power conduits 423 and433 and wireless power conduit 443) substantially simultaneously.Moreover, in an alternative embodiment not explicitly shown in FIG. 4,PCU 410 may be implemented as one of several PCUs occupying a commonpower strip, for example, in which mains adapter 411 is shared by eachof the PCUs located on the power strip.

In addition to the advantages previously attributed to PCUs 110, 210,and 310, PCU 410 may include features facilitating coordination andcontrol of substantially simultaneous power delivery to a variety ofpowered devices, such as printer 420, television 430, and laptop 440.For example, in some embodiments, PCU 410 may comprise a low powerdetection circuit to recognize when a load, e.g., printer 420,television 430, or laptop 440 has been added. In that way, PCU 410 candetect the presence of a new load and initiate communications and/ornegotiations with the load to optimize power delivery for all loadsconnected to PCU 410. As another example, in some embodiments, PCU 410may include integrated TRIAC circuitry to further enhance its ability tomanage power distribution in the face of varying power demands fromprinter 420, television 430, and laptop 440, for example.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart illustrating a method for delivering power toan electronic device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. Certain details and features have been left out of flowchart500 that are apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Forexample, a step may consist of one or more substeps or may involvespecialized equipment or materials, as known in the art. Steps 501through 503 indicated in flowchart 500 are sufficient to describe oneembodiment of the present invention; however, other embodiments of theinvention may make use of steps different from those shown in flowchart500.

Referring now to step 501 of the method embodied in FIG. 5, step 501 offlowchart 500 comprises detecting a connection between an electronicdevice and a PCU. The electronic device may be, for example, any of theelectronic devices discussed above, and may or may not have an internalpower source, such as a battery. The PCU can comprise a communicationmodule and a PMM, and can be configured to draw power from a mainsadapter, such as the PCUs described above. The detected connection maybe over a wired or wireless power conduit, a wired or wirelesscommunication channel, or any combination of those, and can be detectedby, for example, a cooperative effort between the communication moduleand the PMM, or by the PMM alone through a change in, for example, ameasured output impedance of the PCU.

Continuing with step 502 in FIG. 5, step 502 of flowchart 500 comprisesattempting to establish a communication link between the electronicdevice and the PCU. To explain, upon detection of a connection, asdescribed in step 501, the communication module of the PCU may attemptto communicate with the connected electronic device by, for example,sending a query over a wired or wireless communication channel. Thecommunication module may initiate the attempt itself, for example, ormay do so at the request of the PMM.

Moving now to step 503 in FIG. 5, step 503 of flowchart 500 comprisesusing the information gathered from the communication attempt performedin step 502 to select an operating mode for the PMM that optimizes theoutput voltage delivered to the electronic device. Information gatheredfrom the attempt may include, for example, a requested charging voltage,a specific filtering mechanism, or a specific voltage to be supplied atsome future time. Optimizing the output voltage may include, but is notlimited to, modifying the output voltage to conform to a specific outputvoltage parameter or simply disconnecting the electronic device from thePCU. For instance, in the event that the electronic device does not orcannot communicate with the PCU, the PMM may choose to either disconnectthe electronic device entirely or, for example, apply a safe mode, asdescribed above, to the connection to the electronic device. If,alternatively, the electronic device communicates a particular noisesusceptibility and an output voltage level to be supplied at some futuretime, for example, the PMM may choose to disconnect the device untilthat time, rather than apply a safe mode and a noise filter, forexample, in order to maximize the overall efficiency of the system whilethe electronic device is connected. As can be seen, the operating modeselection process allows the PMM to maximize the efficiency of thesystem while taking into account information assembled from theattempted communication, thereby optimizing the voltage provided to theelectronic device.

Therefore, by providing a smart power delivery system having the abilityto automatically communicate and negotiate with connected electronicdevices, and also having the ability to programmatically adjust a widerange of output voltage characteristics as well as overall capacity inresponse to those communications and negotiations, the present inventiveconcepts provide a smart power delivery system that can significantlyreduce waste, both in the form of material resources as well aselectrical energy, by being capable of conveniently powering a widevariety of electronic devices.

From the above description of the invention it is manifest that varioustechniques can be used for implementing the concepts of the presentinvention without departing from its scope. Moreover, while theinvention has been described with specific reference to certainembodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate thatchanges can be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand the scope of the invention. Thus, the described embodiments are tobe considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Itshould also be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular embodiments described herein but is capable of manyrearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smart power delivery system comprising: a power conversion unit (PCU) configured to draw AC power through a mains adapter, the PCU including wireless communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a first electronic device and a second electronic device, and a power management module (PMM) that is configured to operate in a smart mode in which the PMM uses wireless communications to determine power requirements provided by the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and a wireless power conduit configured to convey power from the PCU to the first electronic device according to the power requirements of the first electronic device, and simultaneously convey power to the second electronic device according to the power requirements of the second electronic device, wherein when the PMM is in the smart mode, the PMM partitions a total output power according to the power requirements of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and when the second electronic device does not offer to lower power requirements below a standard power requirement for the second electronic device, the PMM determines whether the first electronic device is willing to defer or reduce power requirements and consequently sets a particular partitioning approach that satisfies demands of both the first electronic device and the second electronic device, or switches one electronic device to a safe mode while satisfying power requirements of the other electronic device.
 2. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the power conduit further comprises a wired power conduit.
 3. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power conduit being compatible with at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi and near field communication (NFC).
 4. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to form a communication channel over the wireless power conduit.
 5. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to form a wireless communication channel separate from the wireless power conduit.
 6. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the PMM is configured to reply to receiving a voltage parameter from the first electronic device by providing to the first electronic device power at a voltage that conforms to the voltage parameter and is different than an initially provided voltage.
 7. The smart power delivery system of claim 1, wherein: the wireless power conduit includes a separate wireless path that conveys power wirelessly to the second electronic device.
 8. The smart power delivery system of claim 7, wherein the separate wireless path includes an inductive link between the smart power deliver system and the first electronic device.
 9. The smart power delivery system of claim 6, wherein the PMM provides an initial output voltage to the first electronic device and after receiving a second voltage parameter for the second electronic device changes the initial output voltage to a different voltage.
 10. A power conversion unit (PCU) for use in a smart power delivery system, the PCU comprising: a power conversion unit (PCU) configured to draw AC power through a mains adapter, the PCU including wireless communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a first electronic device and a second electronic device, and a power management module (PMM) that is configured to operate in a smart mode in which the PMM identifies via wireless communications power requirements of the first electronic device and of the second electronic device, wherein the PCU conveys power via a wireless power conduit to the first electronic device according to the power requirements of the first electronic device, and simultaneously conveys power to the second electronic device according to the power requirements of the second electronic device, when the PMM is in the smart mode, the PMM partitions a total output power according to power demands of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and when the second electronic device does not offer to lower power requirements below a standard power requirement for the second electronic device, the PMM determines whether the first electronic device is willing to defer or reduce power requirements and consequently sets a particular partitioning approach that satisfies demands of both the first electronic device and the second electronic device, or switches one electronic device to a safe mode while satisfying power requirements of the other electronic device.
 11. The PCU of claim 10, wherein the PMM communicates with the first electronic device over a wireless communication channel that complies with a standard wireless communications protocol.
 12. The PCU of claim 10, wherein the PMM is configured to communicate with the first electronic device and receive a first voltage parameter, and change the first output voltage to conform to the first voltage parameter.
 13. The PCU of claim 12, wherein the first voltage parameter is a first output voltage level set by the first voltage parameter provided by the first electronic device.
 14. The PCU of claim 12, wherein the first voltage parameter identifies a first output voltage accuracy required by the first electronic device.
 15. The PCU of claim 12, wherein the first voltage parameter is an output noise sensitivity of the first electronic device.
 16. The PCU of claim 12, wherein the first voltage parameter is a tolerance for transients in the first output voltage provided to the first electronic device.
 17. A method for delivering power to a first electronic device and a second electronic device with a different power requirement, the method comprising: detecting a connection between a power conversion unit (PCU) configured to draw AC power through a mains adapter and the first electronic device, the PCU including wireless communication circuitry and a power management module (PMM); providing power to the first electronic device at an initial voltage level over a wireless power conduit; receiving over a communication link a different operating voltage of the first electronic device; providing the different operating voltage to the first electronic device; providing another operating voltage to the second electronic device, the another operating voltage being different than the different operating voltage; and when the PMM is in a smart mode, partitioning a total output power according to power demands of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and when the second electronic device does not offer to lower power requirements below a standard power requirement for the second electronic device, the PMM determines whether the first electronic device is willing to defer or reduce power requirements and consequently sets a particular partitioning approach that satisfies demands of both the first electronic device and the second electronic device, or switches one electronic device to a safe mode while satisfying power requirements of the other electronic device.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the power conduit further comprises a wired power conduit.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the power conduit comprises a wireless power conduit that is compatible with at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi and near field communication (NFC). 